World Screen

PREMIUM: A successful U.K. television drama costing £1 million to produce covers about 60 percent of its budget from the primary broadcaster and will not make a profit without strong DVD sales, according to a stylized example of programming economics …

ROME: Switchover Licensing is the newly established in-house licensing, franchise management and brand marketing unit of Italian broadcaster Switchover Media. Switchover Media owns the kids’ free-to-air channels K2 and Frisbee. Switchover Licensing will then be developing licensing, sponsorship and brand …

SINGAPORE: Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) in North and Southeast Asia has named Jimmy Kim as VP of content distribution. Kim is tasked with optimizing sales and client services for the distribution of VIMN’s channels and content. He will manage …

NEW YORK: The latest hire in Rainbow Media Global’s executive expansion is Marco Frazier, who has been tapped to serve as VP of global distribution. Frazier will oversee the global distribution of Rainbow Media’s international properties, including Sundance Channel and …

LONDON: The 125th anniversary of the Wimbledon tennis championships is being celebrated with live 3D coverage of the men’s and women’s singles finals on the BBC’s HD channel. The free-to-air broadcast in 3D will be available to anyone with a 3D …

BUDAPEST: Twelve Spanish firms are in place for DISCOP, seven of which will be located at the Audiovisual from Spain pavilion. In the way of animation, Cromosoma is presenting the 52×30-minute Lila. Trini Cuevas, the head of distribution at Cromosoma, …

TORONTO/LONDON: Entertainment One’s Jason Priestley comedy Call Me Fitz, which has already rolled out in the U.S. and Canada, has been picked up in France by pay-TV channel Série Club. Priestley—with whom eOne is working on a number of other projects—stars …

MADRID: Spanish broadcaster laSexta has picked up the rights to the new FOX series Alcatraz and the CBS show Person of Interest, both from J.J. Abrams. The new shows, distributed by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, were among the most buzzed-about offerings …

MADRID: Zinkia Entertainment has firmed up new deals in Latin America for its hit property Pocoyo, signing up additional licensing agents and broadcast partners. A multi-territory free-to-air deal has been inked with Televideo (Albavisión) for Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, …

TORONTO: Breakthrough Entertainment and Northeast Films have started production on the original sketch comedy Picnicface, debuting on The Comedy Network in Canada. The series is from the Halifax-based sketch troupe of the same name. The show combines animation and sketch …